HomeWorldOlympicsPictures of a drained Vinesh Phogat who spent the whole night trying to cut down her weight for the 50kg wrestling final only to get disqualified by exceeding the weight limit by 100grams
Pictures of a drained Vinesh Phogat who spent the whole night trying to cut down her weight for the 50kg wrestling final only to get disqualified by exceeding the weight limit by 100grams
August 7, 2024
Pictures of a drained Vinesh Phogat who spent the whole night trying to cut down her weight for the 50kg wrestling final only to get disqualified by exceeding the weight limit by 100grams
Sports with weight classes are brutal. I don’t know much about wrestling – why was she competing at a lower weight than usual?
If you have to do all that to stay in your weight class, maybe it’s the wrong weight class? I understand it’s disappointing, but this seems so unhealthy.
She could have cut some hair off to save that 100 grams
Edit: Sounds like she did cut some hair off to make weight
A lot of the comments seem to imply that Vinesh was a cheater trying to compete at a lower weight category by artificially cutting weight. This implies that all her competitors are all under 50kg.
Nothing can be further than the truth. Almost every single wrestler in this category (and in every other category) is over the weight limit. Every single one tries to weight cut to weigh in below the limit the day before the bout.
There were a few comments that Vinesh beat Yui Susaki by this form of cheating. I doubt if Yui would weigh under 50 if a surprise random weight check was done. Sarah herself has competed in the 55kg class as well as the 53kg class, so she is going to be weight cutting as well.
While I fully agree that rules are the rules and at the level of the Olympics, forget 100gms even 10gms is overlimit. However to portray Vinesh as a cheat is fundamentally incorrect. She is a champion of the sport, who was exceptional on the technical front.
And for those going on the 2kg overlimit point, that’s literally 2 litres of water drunk through the day.
I do however have a suggestion. In addition to the morning weigh in, there should also be a compulsory night weigh in (for all including the defeated wrestlers). That way you have a closer representation of how wrestlers were actually matched during their bouts. And at least you wont have people with only peripheral knowledge of the sport calling someone a cheat.
It is also more of a true representation of the actual on ground realities of the sport.
Source: Used to wrestle competitively when younger.
Them the breaks
Sucks for her but this is part of the sport. I don’t understand the problem. No one forced to participate.
The dual weigh in is implemented to discourage weight cutting in the sport. They want to discourage it because it is extremely stressful and dangerous. It can have long term health consequences and is particularly bad for women and kids.
She chose to cut weight anyway and wasn’t able to do it under the clearly defined rules. As such, I have no problem with her punishment.
She is an incredible athlete with an amazing story. I am heartbroken for her, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fair.
Indian nationalist wrestling fans are suddenly some of the most misinformed about weight class and how scales work on planet earth.
everyone asking about the weight classes, please realize olympic weight classes are not the same as world champ weight classes theres less weights to compete at than during a regular world championships. Hence many wrestlers wrestling lighter or heavier than usual. It sucks but this has been known for the past year although its sad and does suck for Vinesh this is how it is. Also remember if youre having a hard time cutting weight it means youre trying to have an advantage and advantages dont come with some risk
Part of the sport.
Unlucky
How would she have fought anyway if shes in such condition to be hospitalized
Cruel? She was over the limit.
You know, some people might consider the culture around boxing to be very unhealthy.
“This is probably the the most cruel, shattering, heartbreaking incident in Indian Sports History”
the cricket team would like a word…
These are old pictures from her protest! Stop spreading false rumours
How could her coach mess this up so badly?
Rules is rules
Maybe people should compete in their proper weight class and not drop to a weight class where they have a significant advantage. Sounds like cheating.
Just a thought.
If you’re over the limit even after doing all the extreme stuff she did well then you were over weight.
Definitely a fair strategy to cut to make a lower weight class for advantage but it carries a risk. And unfortunately she didn’t make the cut.
The limit is the limit.
If you don’t make the cut you don’t make the cut. Perhaps try a different weight class hm?
Weight cutters suffering to get below their true weight class for an advantage is not worthy of pity.
I like her story but Susaki lost out competing for the medals. Sad for everyone.
Yeah there’s nothing cruel about this, you know what weight you have to hit and when, it’s part of the sport. Trying to cut severely in to a weight class is always a risky strategy.
It sucks, but making weight is about 1/2 of the battle in fighting/wrestling. It’s unfortunate but she knew the cut would be necessary, and this might be more of a sign that this isn’t the right weight class for her if her cuts are this hard.
Such an effort and fight given though, for sure
This says more about issues with how athletes force themselves into lower weight classes to get a competitive advantage. It’s unhealthy and difficult to maintain. You’re not *supposed* to do it, but people still try because they want any edge they can get. Hence the disqualification for not making weight.
But it’s a sports-wide issue that crops up pretty much anywhere there are weight classes. I stopped powerlifting after my coach tried to force me to do it.
This is not cruel. This is the sport. If you don’t understand that you don’t understand grappling.
27 comments
Sports with weight classes are brutal. I don’t know much about wrestling – why was she competing at a lower weight than usual?
If you have to do all that to stay in your weight class, maybe it’s the wrong weight class? I understand it’s disappointing, but this seems so unhealthy.
She could have cut some hair off to save that 100 grams
Edit: Sounds like she did cut some hair off to make weight
A lot of the comments seem to imply that Vinesh was a cheater trying to compete at a lower weight category by artificially cutting weight. This implies that all her competitors are all under 50kg.
Nothing can be further than the truth. Almost every single wrestler in this category (and in every other category) is over the weight limit. Every single one tries to weight cut to weigh in below the limit the day before the bout.
There were a few comments that Vinesh beat Yui Susaki by this form of cheating. I doubt if Yui would weigh under 50 if a surprise random weight check was done. Sarah herself has competed in the 55kg class as well as the 53kg class, so she is going to be weight cutting as well.
While I fully agree that rules are the rules and at the level of the Olympics, forget 100gms even 10gms is overlimit. However to portray Vinesh as a cheat is fundamentally incorrect. She is a champion of the sport, who was exceptional on the technical front.
And for those going on the 2kg overlimit point, that’s literally 2 litres of water drunk through the day.
I do however have a suggestion. In addition to the morning weigh in, there should also be a compulsory night weigh in (for all including the defeated wrestlers). That way you have a closer representation of how wrestlers were actually matched during their bouts. And at least you wont have people with only peripheral knowledge of the sport calling someone a cheat.
It is also more of a true representation of the actual on ground realities of the sport.
Source: Used to wrestle competitively when younger.
Them the breaks
Sucks for her but this is part of the sport. I don’t understand the problem. No one forced to participate.
The dual weigh in is implemented to discourage weight cutting in the sport. They want to discourage it because it is extremely stressful and dangerous. It can have long term health consequences and is particularly bad for women and kids.
She chose to cut weight anyway and wasn’t able to do it under the clearly defined rules. As such, I have no problem with her punishment.
She is an incredible athlete with an amazing story. I am heartbroken for her, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fair.
Indian nationalist wrestling fans are suddenly some of the most misinformed about weight class and how scales work on planet earth.
everyone asking about the weight classes, please realize olympic weight classes are not the same as world champ weight classes theres less weights to compete at than during a regular world championships. Hence many wrestlers wrestling lighter or heavier than usual. It sucks but this has been known for the past year although its sad and does suck for Vinesh this is how it is. Also remember if youre having a hard time cutting weight it means youre trying to have an advantage and advantages dont come with some risk
Part of the sport.
Unlucky
How would she have fought anyway if shes in such condition to be hospitalized
Cruel? She was over the limit.
You know, some people might consider the culture around boxing to be very unhealthy.
“This is probably the the most cruel, shattering, heartbreaking incident in Indian Sports History”
the cricket team would like a word…
These are old pictures from her protest! Stop spreading false rumours
How could her coach mess this up so badly?
Rules is rules
Maybe people should compete in their proper weight class and not drop to a weight class where they have a significant advantage. Sounds like cheating.
Just a thought.
If you’re over the limit even after doing all the extreme stuff she did well then you were over weight.
Definitely a fair strategy to cut to make a lower weight class for advantage but it carries a risk. And unfortunately she didn’t make the cut.
The limit is the limit.
If you don’t make the cut you don’t make the cut. Perhaps try a different weight class hm?
Weight cutters suffering to get below their true weight class for an advantage is not worthy of pity.
I like her story but Susaki lost out competing for the medals. Sad for everyone.
Yeah there’s nothing cruel about this, you know what weight you have to hit and when, it’s part of the sport. Trying to cut severely in to a weight class is always a risky strategy.
It sucks, but making weight is about 1/2 of the battle in fighting/wrestling. It’s unfortunate but she knew the cut would be necessary, and this might be more of a sign that this isn’t the right weight class for her if her cuts are this hard.
Such an effort and fight given though, for sure
This says more about issues with how athletes force themselves into lower weight classes to get a competitive advantage. It’s unhealthy and difficult to maintain. You’re not *supposed* to do it, but people still try because they want any edge they can get. Hence the disqualification for not making weight.
But it’s a sports-wide issue that crops up pretty much anywhere there are weight classes. I stopped powerlifting after my coach tried to force me to do it.
This is not cruel. This is the sport. If you don’t understand that you don’t understand grappling.